131
ANNEXURE TO ENCLOSURE NO
I.
The Ministry of Communications, Tokyo, was
approached as early as November 1927, by the Postmaster-
General of the Government of Hongkong with a view to
establishing a direct wireless service between Hongkong
and Japan. The former eagerly welcomed the proposition,
but was obliged to answer, with regret, that owing to the
absence of a wireless station available for the said
service, it desired to let the matter stand over until a
station suitable for the purpose, then under contemplation
by the Japan Wireless Telegraphy Co. Ltd., would be com-
pleted. In July 1931, the construction of the said wireless
station having been completed and the equipment and
preparation on both sides consummated, communications were
experimentally exchanged, at the instance of the Government
of Hongkong, between the stations in Hongkong and Tokyo.
The result of the experiment was satisfactory and portended
the possibility of regular service. Encouraged by this
experiment the Ministry of Communications intimated on
September 22nd 1931 their wish to enter into negotiation
as to the probable date of inauguration, rate, etc., but
the Government of Hongkong asked for a postponement for a
month until the return to post of an electric engineer in
charge. On October 15th, when the necessary preparations
were being made on the part of the Japanese authorities
concerned end the Wireless Station, the Government
of Hongkong wired the former to the effect that, owing to
uncertainty regarding the future of radio-telegraph
administration in Hongkong, they regretted that it would be
inadvisable then to institute direct wireless service
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